Eog
Eog ("Eol's Iron" or "Ang Eöl") was a dwarfish-elvish metal-alloy made of durang, mithril and other unknown materials, said to have been invented originally by Eol the dark Elf. It came in several different shades and was one of the rarest and most prized materials, workable only by a handful of the most skilled craftsmen. 'Description Eog is undoubtedly among the rarest of metals. It is a fusion of mithril, durang, and some unknown materials, apparently from an Elven recipe handed down from the House of Eol, although others say that it is a Noldo invention. There are also reports of it occurring naturally, as black eog in a fallen meteorite. The formula for eog is one the Elves will not trade with the Naugrim, even as the Dwarves will not divulge certain of their own recipes. It requires both hot and cold forging, and so the cooperation of two of the Halls of the Elven Smiths. Both the hottest and coldest of Khazad-dum's forges would be required to produce it. The finished material is extremely hard, tougher than Dwarven adarcer, and even stronger than ithilnaur. It also has a strange appearance. Both white and red varieties commonly exist; neither has any lustre. Eog also has other properties as a damper against certain enchantments, preventing the manipulation of the Essence within a certain radius depending on the nature of the spell caster. The colour is the key to this, and it can be made black, white, red, blue, or grey. While it is often used for the creation of weapons, many other things can be made from eog. Eog tools are required for the shaping of the volcanic glass laen; it can be used as a decorative inlay; shields, doors and walls can be shaped from it. '''Arms and Armour ' Some arms and armour made of eog include: Aeglos (S. "Snow Point" or "Icicle") Made of pure white eog, the Great Spear of Gil-galad was destroyed by Sauron's Gauntlet of Slaying on the slopes of Orodruin when Gil-galad fell in battle there. Yet his fatal contest with Sauron at the Battle of Dagorlad permitted Isildur to strike Sauron down. Ainacrist (S. "Holy Sword") This broadsword of white eog was Finarfin's blade, which he wielded while leading his people to battle beneath the white banners of the Valar in the War of Wrath. Angrist (S. "Iron Cutter") A black eog dagger made by Telchar of Nogrod. Originally in Curufin's possession, Beren took it from him when Celegorm and Curufin ambushed Beren and Lúthien on their way to Morgoth's lands. Beren then used it in his quest to secure the Jewels. The blade snapped when Beren attempted to cut a second Silmaril from the Iron Crown, though it was renowned for its ability to cut iron easily. Aranrûth (Q. "King's Wrath") The great broadsword of Thingol in Doriath, it survived the ruin of that fair land and later became the blade of the Kings of Númenor. Perhaps of Dwarvish manufacture, though most likely forged by the smiths of Nogrod, the blade was of red eog with furniture of deep blue. Arennon (S. "High Armor") Finarfin's armour was all of white eog plates, held together by mithril wires cunningly crafted so as to give when needed as the plates moved but never to allow the wearer to be exposed. Calris (Q. "Light Cleaver") The weapon of the Balrog of Moria was a giant, flaming sword of black eog with its name enruned on the blade. It weighed 18 pounds. It burst into flames when the Balrog immolated. Cammaedhros (S. "Hand of Maedhros") A prosthetic eog hand made for Maedhros after he lost his right hand when captured by Balrogs and chained to the sheer face of Thangorodrim. Cammaedhros was initially white, but mystically began to be stained by the blood of the Elf's battles. While Maedhros was never comfortable wearing the hand all the time or wielding his sword with it, the device was mighty in warfare. Dawnsword Weapon of Indûr Dawndeath the Ringwraith, the scimitar was forged out of white eog and inlaid with ivory. A blue star sapphire was set at the pommel, a sign of the wealth Indûr commanded as a mortal. Like other Úlair weapons, it fell from the sky with its rider when the One Ring was destroyed. Durcarak (S. "Dark Fang") Basically a black eog longknife, Curufin used this dagger after Beren took Angrist from him. It was a poor substitute for Angrist, perhaps, but it was quite powerful in its own right. Grond ("Excavator") The Hammer of the Underworld was the chief weapon of Morgoth, which he used to slay Fingolfin in single combat. Grond's power was such that it was like a bolt of thunder, capable of rending smoking pits in the earth. Forged of black eog, the weapon was longer than a man is tall. In latter days, the ram prepared in Mordor to batter the gates of Minas Tirith was named after Morgoth's chief weapon, but the two are not the same. Mace of Anarion The mithril-inlaid eog mace topped with an inset aquamarine belonged to the sixth King of Númenor. It became one of the hereditary possessions of the Kings of Gondor and was lost when King Eärnur disappeared in T.A. 2050. Orcring ("Goblin-chill") The mate of Orcruin, Orcring was a white eog sword with an edge of gleaming, clear laen. The edge shone with an eerie blue light and grew intensely cold and frosty when near Orcs. Wielded by Huor, an Adan Warrior of the Third House and the younger brother of Hurin Thalion, when he lead the army of Hithlum in the Nirnaeth Armoediad (Q. "Battle of Tears Unnumbered), this famous blade has never resurfaced. While Huor was covering his allies' withdrawal, he was struck in the eye by a poisoned Orc-arrow and died, and the sword was lost. Orcruin ("Goblin-fire") The mate of Orcring, Orcruin was a black eog sword with an edge of gleaming black laen. When near Orcs, the edge shone with an eerie red light and grew intensely hot. If bloodied or wetted, the blade smoked and sizzled. Upon command the sword would fire a flaming stream, although this could only be done three times a day. It was the blade of Hurin Thalion, the Adan Warrior of the Third House who was captured as he and his brother Huor held the rear-guard of Turgon's retreat to Gondolin during the Nirnaeth Armoediad (Q. "Battle of Tears Unnumbered). Before his capture, Hurin used Orcruin and Troll-Cleaver (his battle-axe) to slay seventy Trolls and numberless Orcs. The blade was lost to Morgoth's minions at that time, though Hurin was later freed. Rauzgnagli (B.S. "Red Nail") A magical red staff, the Rauzgnagli was the weapon of Storlaga, the greatest of Orcish spell casters. Its intense red colour apparently derived from a fine lacquer or glaze of eog, and the staff seemed to be more a bar of frozen ice or crystal than anything else. Category:Materials Category:Articles by Linfaren Category:Metals